D&D 5E Best D&D 5e alternate ruleset?

[Arilyn]

Can I ask where's this pulp mode? I love Shadowdark but I'm not really interested in running a dungeon crawler (apart from some Dungeon Meshi)

It's in the core book. There are also lots of tables for outdoor encounters. You'd have to create your own adventures, as adventures for Shadowdark lean heavily into dungeons, although there are interesting encounter areas in the hex maps in the Cursed Scroll zines.

 

[Helena Real]

It's in the core book. There are also lots of tables for outdoor encounters. You'd have to create your own adventures, as adventures for Shadowdark lean heavily into dungeons, although there are interesting encounter areas in the hex maps in the Cursed Scroll zines.

Thanks a lot! I must have missed them when I read it

 

[SlyFlourish]

I’m proud to have just shy of 40 sessions of Shadowdark for one of my campaigns. The characters are closing in on the final levels. I love it. It’s one of the few non-5e games where my players said they’d totally start playing it again. It’s very refreshing. The only problem with it is that it certainly doesn’t have the deep character focus and high growth in power that 5e has. Some players really prefer that.

I’m a few sessions into our A5e campaign too. The characters just hit 4th level. I find the combat maneuvers to be a lot to take in – a big added complexity to the game. It’s fun though. Certainly “advanced”. My players dig it, though and no one is complaining except about looking stuff up when they get to a new level.

I’ve played both Shadow of the Demon Lord and 13th Age quite a bit too in days past and love both of those systems too. I have the PDFs of Shadow of the Weird Wizard and have seen the playtest of 13th Age v2 but haven’t played them. They look great, though.

I played my first session of Dragonbane at a con. I dug it a lot. D20 roll under is interesting.

I haven’t tried Tales of the Valiant yet but I think my group may try it out when we finish with Shadowdark for a bit.

I also still love D&D 2014 and am interested to see how D&D 2024 plays out.

Great time for RPGs!!!

 

[Corinnguard]

Made a Perception check on YouTube and came across this video.

 

[Iron Mask]

D'oh! Mispost, sorry for that.

 

[Zardnaar]

I'm running Castles and Crusades alongside 5E. OSE seems to have soaked up the OSR crowd.

Also written a basic playtest. Based on 5E but it's going to diverge over time once I rewrite more stuff. 5E/3.75 hybrid with OSR elements.

For exampkevyou xan build somewhere close to the champion fighter from 5E or a defender from 4E atm. 3 saves and martial are proficient in all of them, half casters get 2, casters get 1.

Cases also advance at different rates and OSR multiclasding.

 

[GreyLord]

I'm running Castles and Crusades alongside 5E. OSE seems to have soaked up the OSR crowd.

Also written a basic playtest. Based on 5E but it's going to diverge over time once I rewrite more stuff. 5E/3.75 hybrid with OSR elements.

For exampkevyou xan build somewhere close to the champion fighter from 5E or a defender from 4E atm. 3 saves and martial are proficient in all of them, half casters get 2, casters get 1.

Cases also advance at different rates and OSR multiclasding.

Castles and Crusades is probably even MORE compatible with 5e stuff than it was with 3e, 3.5, Pathfinder, or AD&D!

Part of that is probably because 5e (some would claim they just ripped it off of C&C) uses a very similar dynamic as C&C with it's skill challenges and the variable range (bounded accuracy) in regards to skills being basically the same (+2 to +6 bonuses).

Except for Warriors (which still get that +1 per level to attack bonuses...which I actually feel work better with how a Warrior SHOULD hit in a game compared to those who aren't trained warriors) other classes ALSO have comparable hit bonuses similar to 5e as well, which makes it very easy to be compatible with 5e (more than many other of the listed systems).

Just recently have been HEAVILY considering running PF Abomination Vaults (the version made for 5e) using C&C rules. Haven't made up my mind on that yet, but considering it as C&C is simpler so you get that itch, but more compatible than some of the other ones which are also simple in style.

 

[Zardnaar]

Castles and Crusades is probably even MORE compatible with 5e stuff than it was with 3e, 3.5, Pathfinder, or AD&D!

Part of that is probably because 5e (some would claim they just ripped it off of C&C) uses a very similar dynamic as C&C with it's skill challenges and the variable range (bounded accuracy) in regards to skills being basically the same (+2 to +6 bonuses).

Except for Warriors (which still get that +1 per level to attack bonuses...which I actually feel work better with how a Warrior SHOULD hit in a game compared to those who aren't trained warriors) other classes ALSO have comparable hit bonuses similar to 5e as well, which makes it very easy to be compatible with 5e (more than many other of the listed systems).

Just recently have been HEAVILY considering running PF Abomination Vaults (the version giggles for 5e) using C&C rules. Haven't made up my mind on that yet, but considering it as C&C is simpler so you get that itch, but more compatible than some of the other ones which are also simple in style.

I started my C&C game for poos and giggles. Only 2 players as I found a great guy under 30 interested in OSR.

Now I have 6 players, Thursday 7 (one players last session plus replacement). Couple of 5E players joined, 5E game filled up one joined C&C then she joined 5E when a spot came up.

Recent find observer mode last session this week his 1st one played red box and 1E.

 

[Emerikol]

I think C&C is the best of the alternate D&D's at this time though for me it's not perfect. I can't help but tinker. But nothing is perfect.

 

[Zardnaar]

I think C&C is the best of the alternate D&D's at this time though for me it's not perfect. I can't help but tinker. But nothing is perfect.

I'm thinking how much 2E can I port into C&C. Keep the engine but add stuff I miss.